Dhaka, Nov 22 (V7N)- Another 82 Bangladeshis, stranded amidst the ongoing conflict in Lebanon, have returned home voluntarily. They arrived in Dhaka on Thursday aboard Emirates Airlines flight EK-584, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued on Friday.

The repatriation was a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Among the returnees, 76 were brought back entirely at the expense of the government, while six were supported by IOM funding.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut registered 76 individuals for repatriation, while the remaining six were facilitated by the IOM. Upon arrival at the airport, the returnees were received by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, and the IOM.

Mustafa Jamil Khan, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met with the returnees at the airport, listening to their experiences of the war and ensuring their safe reintegration into the country.

Since the escalation of violence in Lebanon, 697 Bangladeshis have been repatriated across 11 flights. Tragically, one Bangladeshi has been reported killed in a bomb attack during the conflict.

In light of the war, the government has announced that all Bangladeshi expatriates in Lebanon wishing to return home will be facilitated, with costs borne either by the government or through personal arrangements.

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